Tape wrapping machine



March 26, 1968 J. EVANICSKO, JR

TAPE WRAPPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8, 1966 Fig.2

INVENTOR. JOSEPH EVANICSKO Jr.

his ATTOR NEY March 26, 1968 J. EVANICSKO, JR 3,374,615

TAPE WRAPPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 8, 1966 INVENTQR JOSEPH EVANICSKO Jr. BY7/V ATTORNEY Fig. 6

March 26, 1968 J. EVANICSKO, JR 3,374,615

TAPE WRAPPING MA CHINE Filed June 8, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. I -k s a I L1 .l'

- 0 PH EVA :csxo L202 197/ J SE N ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,374,615 TAPE WRAPPING MACHINE Joseph Evanicsko, Jr., Spanish Villa RD. 2, Jeannette, Pa. 15644 Filed June 8, 1966, Ser. No. 556,171 10 Claims. (Cl. 57-10) This invention relates generally to wrapping machines, and more particularly to machines for wrapping tape or the like on bars or other elongated objects.

In wrapping tape or other covering material on bar or wire it is necessary that the tape be applied under tension in order to have a snugly fitting tightly wrapped covering. According to prior art practice, the rolls of tape are mounted on a Wrapping device and the tape is fed through some type of drag device to increase the tension on the tape as it is pulled from the roll. This type of device is not entirely satisfactory since, as the tape is depleted from the roll, the tension required to pull it from the roll increases. Thus, with the prior art type drag devices, the tension supplied by the tensioning device is additive to the tension inherent in removing the tape from the roll such that there is a constantly increasing amount of tension as the roll of tape is being depleted. Unless the tension of the tensioning device is frequently adjusted, the tension becomes sufficiently great to sever the tape being applied. The change in tension also changes the tightness of the wrap, the wrap becoming tighter as the tension increases, giving a nonuniform wrap along the length of the rod. Another drawback of conventional prior art drag type tensioning devices has been that they have quickly become fouled by the adhesive rubbing off of the tape, necessitating frequent cleaning and adjusting to maintain them functioning in the proper manner.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved device for wrapping tape or other flexible material around a rod or other elongated object.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a wrapping device which will release the material being wrapped under essentially a constant tension irrespective of the length of material left on a roll.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an improved wrapping device which will incrementally dispense lengths of material being wrapped from the roll of material to a take-up device from which the tape is wrapped onto the bar or other object.

Still a further more particular object of this invention is to provide a material wrapping machine for wrapping flexible material on an elongated object, which machine can be .adapted for portable hand use or mounted for automatic movement on a trolley;

These and other objects, together with a fuller understanding of the invention may be had from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of a wrapping device according to this inventidn;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the yoke and tape dispensing elements of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a portion of the device of FIG. 1, showing the tape dispensing mechanism in one operative position;

FIG. 5 is a view of the tape dispensing mechanism of FIG. 4 in another operative position;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of a wrapping device according to this invention;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the device of FIG. 6;

3,374,615 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 FIG. 8 is a detailed view of the tape dispensing mechanism of the device of FIG. 6 in one operative position;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the liner take-up device of the mechanism of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 10 is a detailed view of the spring actuation and gearing of the liner take-up device of FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-5, one embodiment of a wrapping device according to the invention is shown. The device includes a support frame 10 having an opening 12 therein provided with 'a slot 14 which extends from the opening 12 to the outer edge of the frame 10. A handle 15 is secured to the frame 10 and depends therefrom. A plurality of nylon rollers 16 (FIG. 1) are circumferentially spaced around the opening 12 and are rotatably secured to the support frame 10 by pins 18 (FIG. 2). As shown, the rollers 16 support a generally C-shaped yoke member 20 having a broken-away portion coinciding in width with that of slot 14 in frame 10. An electric motor 22 is provided which drives a flexible belt 24 through a right angled gear box 26 (FIG. 2). The flexible belt 24 is reeved over pulleys 28, 30 and 32 and engage groove 34 (FIG. 3) in the outer surface of the yoke 20 such that the motor 22 will rotatably drive the yoke member 20. The motor is equipped With a handle 35 and also speed controls of a conventional type operable from the handle 35 in order to vary the speed of the motor and hence vary the speed of rotation of the yoke 20. Preferably, the motor handle combination is of the conventional hand-held electric drill type.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the yoke is provided with a tape mounting spindle 36 which is rotatably mounted on and extends through the yoke and has attached thereto on the rear side a star wheel 38. The spindle 36 is adapted to mount a spool of tape 40. The tape is paid off the spool 40 and reeved around a first pulley 42 mounted by means of bracket 41 on the yoke,

a second pulley 44 mounted on a slide 46 (see also FIG.

1) and around a third pulley 48 also mounted on the bracket 41. The slide 46 is mounted on the front of the yoke 20 and has a lug 50 (FIG. 4) which extends through an arcuate groove 52 in the yoke. An extension spring 54 is secured to a pin 56 provided on the slide 46 (FIG. 1) and is looped over a nylon pulley 58 and secured around a nylon pulley 60. As viewed in FIG. 4, the spring 54 normally urges the slide 46 to move clockwise in the groove 52 to the position shown. A second slide 62 is provided on the rear of the yoke 20 and is mounted on lugs 64, 66 and 68 extending from the yoke 20 and through slots 70, 72 and 74 in the slide 62. The slide 62 is also provided with a slot 76 through which the tape mounting spindle 36 extends. A bracket 78 is secured to the yoke 20 by a screw 80 extending through a slot 82 in the bracket. A compression spring 84 is interposed between the bracket 78 and one end of the slide 62. The spring 84 is normally in compression and urges the slide 62 clockwise (as viewed in FIG. 4). The slide 62 is provided with a lug 86 which, under the urging of the spring 84, normally engages one of the grooves of the star wheel 38 and prevents it from rotating. The end of the slide 62 opposite the spring 84 has a bolt 88 threaded therein and projecting toward the lug 50 On the slide 46.

A support roller 92 (FIG. 2) is attached to the rear of the support frame 10 by means of a pair of brackets 94 and 96. The roller 92 will allow the device to be rested or supported on the rod or bar B being taped and allow the device to roll thereon as the tape is being applied.

Turning now to the operation of the device, a roll of tape 40 is placed on the tape mounting spindle 36 and is paid ofi over pulleys 42, 44 and 48. In order to place the yoke over the bar B, the broken-away portion of the yoke is aligned with the slot 14 in frame to permit the bar to enter the area defined by the inner periphery of the yoke. The end of the tape is then secured to the surface of the bar to be taped. If the tape is not adhesive backed, some type of fastener such as a piece of masking tape can be used to secure the tape to the bar while a wrapping is started. At the start of wrapping, the slides 46 and 62 and other parts mounted on the yoke will be in the positions shown in FIG. 4. The motor 22 is then started, which will drive the yoke clockwise, as seen in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5. This clockwise rotation will cause the yoke to wrap the tape around the bar. Since the star wheel 38 is prevented from rotating by engagement of the lug 86, the slide 46 will start to move in the slot 52 toward the bolt 88 as the tape is wrapped. This movement of the slide 46 will continue in the 'slot until the lug 50 contacts the bolt 88. At this point, the tension on the tape as it is being wrapped will cause the lug 50 to apply pressure on the bolt 88, causing the slide 62 to move toward the bracket 78, thereby moving the lug 86 out of engagement with the star wheel 38 and into the position shown in FIG. 5. In this position, the star wheel is free to rotate since it is disengaged from the lug 86, the tension on the tape causing it too unwind from the spool. As the tape unwinds from the spool, the slack is taken up by the movement of the slide 46 clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5 under the urging of the spring 54. This movement of the slide 46 will move the lug 50 away from the bolt 88. Hence, the slide 62, under the urging of the spring 84, will move the lug '86 back into contact with the star Wheel '38, thereby stopping its rotation after it has supplied an incremental amount of tape. As the yoke continues to rotate, the amount of tape stored by the slide 46 will again diminish, moving the slide toward the bolt 88 and causing slide 62 to disengage the lug 86 from the star wheel 38, again releasing an incremental amount -'of tape from the spool. As the tape is being applied, the operator holds the machine by handles and and moves it along the bar being wrapped at the desired speed to provide the required overlay of the lap of tape. The degree of overlay of the wraps is a function of the speed of rotation of the yoke and the lineal speed of movement of the device along the wrapping piece, both of which can be controlled by the operator and adjusted manually to give the desired wrap spacing. If desired, an indicator could be attached to roller 92, and as roller 92 rolls along the taping piece the overlap of tape could be governed by the operator through a visual check on a speed indicator which would denote the lineal speed of the machines movement along the workpiece.

One of the outstanding advantages of a device according to this invention is that the tension applied to the tape during wrapping is essentially constant. Upon release of tape from spool 40, lug 50, which is under spring tension, moves back to the position shown in FIG. 4, keeping the tape slack paid out from spool under tension determined by the spring 54. At the same time, slide 62 follows the lug 50, thus engaging'lug '86 with the star wheel 38. This locks the spool 40 and halts the further release of tape. Thus, it is not necessary to adjust the tension of the mechanism continuously as the tape is being applied to the rod since the total force is not continuously increasing as with the drag type tensioning devices of the prior art. The taping can be continued and the device move either away, to overlap the layers of tape as it is being applied, the device being moved back and forth to build up multiple layers of tape.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 through 10, another embodiment of a tape wrapping machine according to the invention is shown. This embodiment is trolley mounted and is fully automatic, requiring only that the operator load the machine and start it. Thereafter, it will automatically perform the taping function. In this embodiment a sup- 4 l port frame is provided corresponding'to frame 10' of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5. The support frame has a leg 102 depending therefrom, mounting wheels 104 which engage a track 106. The support frame 100 has an arm 108 extending thereabove which is provided with two pairs of trolley wheels 110 and 112 (FIG. 8) which engage an overhead trolley track 114. A trolley drive motor 116 is provided having a friction drive wheel 118 engaging the track 114. Conventional speed controls 120 are provided to control the speed of the motor 116; while a reversing switch 122 is provided to control the direction of drive of the motor. Actuating stops 124 are provided which can be selectively positioned in slots 126 on the track 114 to actuate the reversing switch at any position of the device, as will be explained presently.

The support frame 100 is provided with an opening 128 and slot 130 similar in configuration to that of the previously described embodiment. A plurality of nylon rollers 132 are circumferentially arranged around the opening 128 and disposed to support a C-shaped yoke 134, similar in shape and construction to that of the previously described embodiment. A tape mounting spindle 135 is mounted on the yoke 134, is rotatable, and extends therethrough. A pinion gear 136 (FIG. 8) is mounted on the spindle 135 and has an outer set of gear teeth 138 and an inner set of teeth 140. The tape from the spool is threaded around pulleys 142, 144, 146 and then supplied to the bar being Wrapped. Pulleys 142 and'146 are mounted on the yoke 134, while pulley 144 is mounted on a slide member 148 (FIG. 6), which 'is mounted on yoke 134 and has a lug 150 (FIG. 8) extending through a groove 152 formed in the yoke 134. A, tension spring 153 is secured to a pin 153a supporting the pulley 144 on the slide 148, looped over pulley 153i) and secured to apulley 153c. The spring 153 normally urges the slide 148 to move toward the pulley 153b. A second slide member 154 is provided on the side of the yoke opposite slide 148 and 'is mounted on lugs 156, 158 and 160 projecting from the yoke and extending through slots 162, 164 and 166, respectively, formed in the slide 154. The slide member 154 also has a slot 168 through which the spindle 135 passes. Carried on the slide member 154 is a second pinion gear 170, having an outer 'set of teeth 172 disposed to mesh with the upper set of teeth 140 of thepinion gear 136 and an inner set of teeth 174 disposed to mesh with the outer set of teeth 138 of the pinion gear 136. A bracket 178 is secured to the yoke 134 by a screw 180 engaging slot 182 formed on the bracket 178. VA compression spring 184 is interposed between the bracket 178 and the end of the slide member 154, normally urging the pinion gear 170 into meshing engagement with the pinion gear 136. When these two gears are in meshing engagement, rotation of each is prevented. The advantage of the gear arrangement of FIG. 8 over the previous embodiment is that 'a more accurate control of the amount of tape dispensed from the spool can be achieved. That is, with the star wheel ar rangement of FIGS. 4 and 5, there are only six possible angular positions of the spool. The number of positions, of course, is greatly increased in FIG. 8. This insures against an excessive amount of tape and resultant slack during each incremental pay-off step. The opposite end of the slide member 154 is provided with an adjustable bolt 186 which is positioned to coact with the lug 150 in slide 148. A nut 188 is provided to tighten the bolt 186 in its adjusted position.

The front of the yoke .134 is also provided with a liner take-up device, designated generally as 190 and shown in detail in FIGS. 9-10. This take-up device is provided to wind lining material that is often placed between the wraps of certain types of tape, to prevent the tape from sticking to itself. This liner material must be taken up as the tape is being applied. The liner take-up device 190 includes a spool 192 secured to a spindle 194 rotatably mounted on the yoke 134. A constant torque spring motor 196 is provided in driving engagement with the spindle 194 through a gear 197. A constant torque spring motor suitable for use in this device is of the type manufactured by Hunter Spring Division of Ametek Inc., Hatfield, Pa., and sold under the trade name Negator. This type of spring motor is shown in detail in FIG. 10. Essentially the spring motor comprises a pair of spools 198 and 200 rotatably mounted on spindles 202 and 204, respectively. Opposite ends of a metal strip 206 are connected to pins 208 and 210 carried by the spools 198 and 200 respectively, and spaced from the spindles 202 and 204 so that they are eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation. The band of metal 206 is formed and heat treated such that it tends to wind itself into tightly wound convolutions on the tact with one of the stops, it will flip the switch, causing a motor to reverse. The tape will then continue in the opposite direction until the reversing switch hits the other stop 126 which will flip the switch and again cause a reversing action. The machine will continue to tape the bar between these two positions until the tape on the roll is exhausted or until the machine is shut off. When the tape has been completely expended, the liner can be pulled from the liner take-up spool 192 which will cause the spool to rotate in a counterclockwise direction which will re-cock the motor 196. The detent arm 212 is then posispool 198. The spring motor is set for operation by winding the take-up spool 192 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 9, to wind the band of metal 206 on the spool 200. A detent arm 212 is provided which can be pivoted into engagement with the gear 197, to prevent rotation thereof. When the spool 192 has been rotated to completely wind the band or spring 206 on the spool 200, the detent arm 212 is engaged with the gear 197. In this position the normal force on the band 206 tends to urge it to coil on the spool 198 and when the detent arm 212 is released the band will recoil itself on the spool 198, rotatably driving the spool 192 clockwise. In the absence of a restraining force on the spool 192, the action will be extremely rapid. The mounting of the band 206 to the pin 210 prevents the breaking of the band or the band pulling loose from the spool 200 at the conclusion of the winding of the band or spring 206 on the spool 198 by allowing an overcenter motion of the secured end of the band to occur at the conclusion of the winding of the spring. For this reason the off-center pin mounting of the spring 206 on the spool 200 is important. While such mounting on the other spool 198 is not as important since in winding the spring 206 on spool 198 such a finishing shock is not encountered. However an overwind of the spool could break the spring if not arranged as described herein.

A drive motor 214 is provided which drives the yoke 134 through a flexible belt 216, engaging a groove 218 in the outer surface of the yoke. The motor 214 is provided with variable speed controls 220.

Turning now to the operation of the device, the mounting and threading of the tape to be applied is similar to that as described with respect to the previously described device. If the tape has a liner between its convolutions the spool 192 is wound counterclockwise to set the spring motor 196. The end of the liner is then secured to the spool and the detent arm 212 is released. The liner will prevent the spring from fully unwinding. The motor 214 is then started to drive the taping head and the motor 116 is started to drive the device along the tracks 114 and 106. The application of the tape is the same as described with the previous embodiment. As the tape is applied the slide 148 moves in slot 152 until lug 150 strikes bolt 186. This moves the slot 154 against the force of the spring 184, moving the pinion gear 170 out of engagement with the pinion gear 136. This will allow the spindle 135 to rotate and pay out a length of tape and the tensioning spring 153 will move the slide 148 to move the lug 150 out of engagement with the bolt 186. The spring 184 will then move the slide 154 to cause the pinion gear 170 to engage the pinion gear 136 and prevent rotation. Thus, the action of the pinion gears 136 and 170 is similar to that of the star wheel and lug of the previously described embodiment. As the tape is being unwrapped from the spool the spring motor 186 will urge the spool 192 to take up the liner as it also is unwrapped from the roll with the tape.

The speed of both of the motors 116 and 214 is adjusted so that the proper wrap is obtained on the bar having the desired degree of overlap. For completely automatic operation, wherein several thicknesses of wraps are desired over a given length of the bar, the stops 124 and 126 are set at the desired positions so that when the support frame 100 carries the reversing switch 122 into contioned to lock the gear 197, and the motor is ready for use on the next roll of tape.

One of the outstanding features of the present invention is the ability of the machine to apply tape 'under essentially a constant tension irrespective of the amount of tape present on the roll and irrespective of the resistance of the tape to unwinding from the roll due to other factors. The essential governing feature of the tension of the tape being applied is set by the springs 84 and 184 of the two embodiments. The taping pressure is governed essentially by the pressures of these springs and these pressures may be adjusted by loosening the screws holding the brackets against which these springs act and moving the brackets toward or away from the slides to either increase or decrease the spring pressure acting on the slide. For even greater adjustment, different sized springs can be used and the adjustment of each size accomplished by the movement of the bracket as described.

It is to be understood that although the description of the device has been with respect to its use in applying tape to bars, that the device can be used to apply any type of flexible material which can he coiled and mounted on the spindle to any elongated object which can be accommodated within the yoke. For example, wire, twine or rope can be wound on articles of either regular or irregular shape with a very close control of the tightness of the wrap and the overlay of the wraps. With both of these embodiments it is usually desirable to have some sort of clamping devices to hold the bar or other object being wrapped.

Although several embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, various adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for wrapping spooled material on an elongated o'bject comprising a frame, a circular yoke member rotatably mounted on said frame, means for mounting a spool of said spooled material on said rotatable yoke member, material take-up means carried on said rotatable yoke member for storing a length of material unwrapped from the spool and supplying it continuously to said elongated object, means for rotatably driving said yoke member to wrap said stored material on said elongated object, means for incrementally supplying material from said spool to said take-up means and including detent means for selectively permitting and preventing rotation of said spool, and a slide mounted on said yoke member and movable under the tension of material being wrapped onto said elongated object for actuating said detent means to permit rotation of the spool only when the length of material stored by said take-up means is less than a predetermined length.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said detent means is mounted on second slide means movable toward and away from said means to mount the spooled material.

3. The device of claim 2, further including biasing means operatively connected to said second slide means and normally urging said detent means into its position to prevent rotation of said spool.

4. The device of claim 2, further including biasing means normally urging said first slide means away from said detent means.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said means mounting said spooled material includes a rotatable member mounting a star Wheel and said second slide means includes lug means normallyurged into contact with said star wheel. V a I 6. The device of claim 2, wherein said means for mounting said material includes first pinion gear means rotatable with said spool and said detent means includes second pinion gear means mounted on said second slide means for movement into and out of engagement with said first pinion gear means. i p

7. T he'device' of claim 1, further characterized by liner take-up means mounted on said yoke member disposed to take-up a liner wrapped between the layers of the spooled material. f V

8. The device of claim 7, further characterized by said liner take-up means including "constant tension spring motor means normally urging said liner from the spool.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said spring motor means includes first and second rotatable spools and a reversely wound pre-tensioned metal strip disposed to be re'versely wound on one of said spools, and winditself on the other of said spools. I

10. T he'device of claim 9, wherein the strip is secured to said one spool by a pin spaced from the center of rotation of said spool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,603,801 10/1926 Potter 2424 2,254,934 9/1941 Brown 2426 2,361,014 10/1944 Crass 5710 2,367,086 1/1945 Barry 2426 2,764,259 9/1956 Foster 18537 BILLY s. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING SPOOLED MATERIAL ON AN ELONGATED OBJECT COMPRISING A FRAME, A CIRCULAR YOKE MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, MEANS FOR MOUNTING A SPOOL OF SAID MATERIAL ON SAID ROTATABLE YOKE MEMBER, MATERIAL TAKE-UP MEANS CARRIED ON SAID ROTATABLE YOKE MEMBER FOR STORING A LENGTH OF MATERIAL UNWRAPPED FROM THE SPOOL AND SUPPLYING IT CONTINUOUSLY TO SAID ELONGATED OBJECT, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY DRIVING SAID YOKE MEMBER TO WRAP SAID STORED MATERIAL ON SAID ELONGATED OBJECT, MEANS FOR INCREMENTALLY SUPPLYING MATERIAL FROM SAID SPOOL TO SAID TAKE-UP MEANS AND INCLUDING DETENT MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY PERMITTING AND PREVENTING ROTATION OF SAID SPOOL, AND SLIDE MOUNTED ON SAID YOKE MEMBER AND MOVABLE UNDER THE TENSION OF MATERIAL BEING WRAPPED ONTO SAID ELONGATED OBJECT FOR ACTUATING SAID DETENT MEANS TO PERMIT ROTATION OF THE SPPOL ONLY WHEN THE LENGTH OF MATERIAL STORED BY SAID TAKE-UP MEANS IS LESS THAN A PREDETERMINED LENGTH. 